iWorld
ZEE5 enters into esports with streaming IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023
Mumbai: ZEE5, India and Bharat’s largest home-grown video streaming platform and multilingual storyteller for millions of entertainment seekers, is all set to foray into the esports streaming with IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023. The tournament will be streamed on the platform from 4 March to 2 April 2023. Following the success of ILT20, and expanding the catalogue of sports offerings, ZEE5 partners with Big Bang Media to bring one of the biggest esports tournaments for the viewers free of cost.
The IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023 has over 80,000 participants from across 40 countries in Asia and the Middle East. With qualifiers already underway on passport.gg, ZEE5 is the exclusive streaming partner for the play-offs and the finals of the four featured games, Clash of Clans, Real Cricket, Dota 2 and EFootball.
Talking about the series, ZEE5 India CBO Manish Kalra said, “We are delighted to announce the streaming of the leading esports championship, IESF Big Bang Asia Open 2023 on ZEE5. Being a customer first brand, we are committed to catering to consumers’ widespread demands. Esports is a popular genre amongst youth with a remarkable potential to grow in future, with advancements in technology and gaming infrastructure. Post the encouraging response on ILT20, we are happy to partner with IESF and Big Bang Media for the Big Bang Asia 2023 tournament. We are excited and hopeful audiences will enjoy watching the games.”
Commenting on the partnership, YouTuber and gaming influencer, Ajey Nagar shared, “We are very proud to have ZEE5 as our streaming partner for the IESF Big Bang Asia Open. ZEE5’s quality of content, distribution muscle & creative leadership makes it a dominant media house across geographies and will help establish the IESF Asia Open as the leading esports championship in the region and provide gamers, creators & audiences with an unmatched immersive experience.”
Here is what Hipi CBO GBS Bindra said about the partnership, “Big Bang Asia Open is more than just a tournament, it’s an electrifying experience that brings together the best online gamers from across Asia. We are thrilled to bring the finest moments from this exhilarating event to millions of fans, as the official short video partner for Big Bang Asia Open. Gaming enthusiasts on Hipi will have exclusive access to the exciting highlights and moments from the tournament.”
iWorld
Zeel to invest up to Rs 116 crore in PhantomFX for AVGC push
Strategic deal targets VFX, animation and gaming to scale global IP play.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… and now a lot more action behind the scenes Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. is doubling down on the magic that happens after the shoot, betting big on visual effects and animation to power its next growth chapter. The company has approved a strategic investment of up to Rs 116 crore in Phantom Digital Effects Ltd., marking a decisive push into the fast-growing Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) segment. The investment will be made through compulsorily convertible debentures in one or more tranches, subject to shareholder approvals.
The move signals a clear shift in Zeel’s playbook from just telling stories to engineering how they look, feel and travel across platforms. With PhantomFX’s global footprint spanning key markets such as the US and UK, the partnership is expected to significantly enhance ZEEL’s ability to create high-impact, visually rich content across OTT originals, animation, gaming and mythology-led formats.
At the heart of the collaboration lies a blend of storytelling muscle and technological precision. Zeel plans to tap into PhantomFX’s AI-integrated production workflows, proprietary pipelines and post-production expertise to improve efficiency and scale across projects. The two companies will also jointly develop original intellectual properties for OTT, gaming and licensing, expanding monetisation avenues beyond traditional formats.
The partnership is structured as non-exclusive, allowing PhantomFX to retain operational independence while continuing to serve its global clientele. For Zeel, however, the alliance offers a steady pipeline of creative and technical capabilities, enabling it to strengthen its omni-channel strategy and build globally relevant content assets.
PhantomFX brings with it an impressive pedigree. Its network includes award-winning studios such as Tippett Studio known for Academy Award-winning work on Jurassic Park and Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi and Milk Visual Effects, which has bagged both an Oscar and a BAFTA for Ex Machina.
The investment comes at a time when the AVGC space is rapidly expanding, driven by demand for immersive, effects-heavy storytelling and cross-platform content experiences. For Zeel, this isn’t just a deal, it’s a visual upgrade to its global ambitions, where pixels, pipelines and IP could define the next blockbuster moment.
